The Best 37 Dollars I Ever Spent
by JWilesParker
Summary: A continuation of episode 4.23 "You Bette Your Life" featuring our favorite Butler and Socialite.


**A/N:** Just a little continuation of episode 4.23 "You Bette Your Life" featuring our favorite Butler and Socialite. I own nothing of The Nanny. R&R at your leisure. Thanks!

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Niles had murder in his eyes, but CC Babcock was completely unfazed. Not a week went by when he didn't look at her that way at some point. To be fair, she often gave as good as she got.

'It's just one meal, Niles,' she said as if the request was perfectly reasonable. 'I'll see you in a couple hours.' Her piece said, she breezed out the kitchen. That Niles failed to verbally protest told her he was either about to murder her in her sleep or he would do as asked. She really had been enjoying the tortures she though up for him after being the winning bid for his services at the auction. Truth be told, though, she did feel a little bad about this last little favor. Niles had returned to the Sheffield residence looking bone tired after the massages for Nanny Fine's parents. _It's just dinner_ , she rationalized. _He could cook in his sleep and it would still be one of the best things I've ever eaten._ Besides, she had a date and had agreed, however stupidly, to entertain the man at her place. _The things I do for Maxwell the Clueless_ , she thought as she left the mansion.

Niles dragged himself up the stairs for an all too brief half hour nap that left him more tired than awake. He was glad Mr. Sheffield had made arrangements to take the family and Miss Fine out for dinner. He had intended a quiet night, but Miss Babcock just had to find one more thing for him to do. Niles put on a pair of jeans and a light blue sweater. No point showing up as the butler if he was going to cook.

Within the hour Niles was at the market around the corner from Miss Babcock's penthouse. He called her on the mobile phone Mr. Sheffield had recently acquired for him. Niles preferred to leave it in his sock drawer but opted to haul it along this evening. 'What do you want?' he asked gruffly as he stood in the middle of the aisle, basket in his other hand, looking at pasta options.

Something in his voice stopped CC from demanding an elaborate dish. Besides, she was hungry and hoped Niles would go with something that would not require hours of preparation. She was not really looking forward to this 'date,' and hoped to find some excuse to get rid of the man sooner rather than later. Having Niles around might be helpful for other purposes. 'Whatever is easy,' she told him. 'Nothing undatelike, though. Oh, and if you could manage something chocolate for dessert?' She sounded too cheery about the chocolate to her own ears, but too late now.

Niles looked in the basket. Chocolate would not be a problem. He held the phone to his ear with his shoulder as he grabbed the closest box of pasta. 'Chicken alfredo it is,' he said. 'I'll be there in fifteen.' He hung up.

Ten minutes later the penthouse doorbell rang. CC was slightly disheartened to see her 'date.' He was late, and she really hoped he was going to be a no-show.

'Evan,' she said. 'I had near given up on you.' If Niles were there, he would have noted her tone for what it was, but Evan did not notice. He was a six-footer with jet black hair, brown eyes, and a mischievous grin – the sort that CC usually went for but was tired of. He kissed CC on the cheek.

'Daddy held me up. I tried calling, but your line was busy. He's always going on about what's good for business is good for the family and all that.' Evan handed CC his coat which she hung in the closet. 'And what's good for the family is good for you,' he finished with a smug grin.

 _Too familiar_ , CC thought. 'Of course,' she said out loud. Where was Niles? Surely fifteen minutes was up. This was going to be a very long night if she didn't have a zinger now and then to keep her going. 'Let me give you the tour.' She led him to the main area. 'Wet bar is over there. Help yourself. Table, balcony, sofa. Bathroom down the hall on the right should you need it.' She pointed out each feature. 'I'm just going to freshen up. Be back in a moment.' CC disappeared to her room knowing Evan's eyes were on her the whole way. She needed a minute. She really needed to stop agreeing to date the sons of investors. They were so… possessive. CC waited in her bedroom until the doorbell sounded. _Niles, thank you_.

Niles walked through the door without greeting when CC opened it. He had a bag of groceries in his arms which he took directly to the kitchen and set on the counter. He began unpacking at once. He noted that since he saw her last she had changed into a sleeveless black dress that highlighted all the right curves and paired the dress with a cream colored sweater.

'Who is that, darling?' Evan called. CC ooked around and eventually found him on the balcony.

'My personal chef,' she called out. He shrugged and turned back to the view, drink in hand.

'Darling? Personal chef?' Niles asked. He sorted the dessert items from the dinner items now that everything was out of the bag. He handed CC a receipt. 'Pay me back when you feel like it.'

She filed the receipt in the work binder she left on the counter. 'I panicked,' she said. 'Why aren't you in a suit?' She had not meant to check him out, but when he walked past her toward the kitchen, she had gained an appreciation for the butler dressing down.

His response was to look at her like a man who had been bossed around all day and was near breaking point. 'Care to show me around?' Niles asked. CC showed him where to find whatever he needed in her kitchen. He already knew the lay of the rest of the land.

'How long do I have to entertain the clown?' she asked.

'So you are considering joining the circus then?' Niles said as he started to fill a pot with water.

'He's the son of one of the backers for our latest show. I couldn't say no without risking the production.'

'Forty-five minutes,' Niles said in answer to her earlier question. 'Longer if you don't let me get started.'

'Sorry,' CC said with fake indignation. The circus crack was exactly what she had needed. Paired with the presence of the most infuriating man in her life, she was feeling a bit better about the evening. She poured herself a shot of whiskey, downed it, and then joined Evan on the balcony where he was nursing a rather large amount of bourbon. The night air was a bit brisk, so she was glad she had the foresight to put on a sweater when she had gone to her room earlier. _Small talk_ , she thought. _Don't give this guy too much or you'll be stuck with him for much longer than necessary_.

Working on autopilot, Niles had everything nearly ready for dinner in about thirty minutes. He would get dessert in the oven once they started eating. Niles had the chance to watch the man only briefly, but the too large smile, slicked back hair, and overly possessive stance left Niles with enough of an impression to know what type of person Evan was. The date always got what he wanted, either through charisma or money. But CC Babcock was not the sort to be easily turned by personality or wealth. The evening was not going swimmingly for anyone except, maybe, Niles.

CC briefly caught Niles' eye when she came in to refill Evan's glass. He had just dropped the pasta, a sign that dinner was imminent. Niles saw the slight pleading look that turned into cold-hearted bitch mode when she was found out. He also noticed, as their blue eyes met, she was tired. He made a decision regarding dinner then, just as she made a decision to not drink another shot of whiskey.

Ten minutes later Niles caught Evan leaning in for an unwanted kiss. CC was slowly backing away while Evan was looming over her and starting to reach for her. Had Niles been more aware of his feelings in that moment, he would have recognized the vague sense of envy in the back of his mind, but that would take a few more minutes to work forward. He cleared his throat to mitigate the more immediate threat. 'Miss Babcock, dinner is ready when you are.' Niles watched the increasing tension in Miss Babcock's neck and shoulders relax ever so slightly.

'Thank you, Niles. We'll be just a moment,' she said. He nodded and walked off after lingering for what might have appeared to Evan as a moment too long. The moment was long enough for CC to breathe again and Evan to forgo his pursuit of a kiss for the time being.

Niles finished the plating while Evan and CC came in. Somehow it fell to Niles to be the gentleman and pull Miss Babcock's chair out for her. Evan had seated himself immediately with little to no regard for the person across from him.

'May I get anything before you get started?' Niles asked.

Bourbon,' Evan said. He already had two to Niles' knowledge.

'Water, please' CC said. She knew Niles would read into the fact she had not asked for booze if he had not already noticed she only had one shot of whiskey the whole evening.

As he acquired the beverages, Niles heard Evan say, 'You must pay him well for this kind of service.' There was a hint of disdain in the man's voice.

CC nearly responded that she didn't pay Niles at all, but caught herself in time to say, 'Oh, I don't pay him nearly enough.' The other statement had connotations she did not want to get into, especially not with Evan. The glass of water was set in front of her and another shot of bourbon was placed in front of Evan. CC gulped down half her water. Niles returned a moment later with a pitcher of water and an extra glass in the event Evan opted for some actual hydration.

'Enjoy your chicken fettuccini Alfredo,' Niles said before retreating back to the kitchen space.

After a few moments of eating, Evan said, 'I rather think you pay him too much.' He reached for the water and glass, chugging down a fair bit then finishing with the bourbon. 'This is dry and salty.'

CC knew immediately that Niles had done her a favor. Her chicken was cooked perfectly, her fettuccini was al dente exactly as she liked, and the sauce was seasoned just right. She took her own glass of water, took a sip, smiled to herself, and started laughing. Evan looked at her as if she had grown visible horns. He drank more water. His mouth still tasted strongly of salt. He went to the wet bar and took another dose of bourbon.

Meanwhile, Niles had put dessert in the oven. Evan was likely soon to depart, but no reason Niles had to leave immediately. Hearing Miss Babcock laugh so heartily cheered him immensely. Niles set the oven timer then took a bite of his own dinner. He had a feeling Evan would not be asking for more or a replacement meal, so Niles decided to enjoy what was left since he had skipped eating earlier. Even in his automatic state of cooking, Niles had to admit he knocked this one out of the park. He may have left one piece of chicken in the oven too long, some of the noodles in the pot a couple minutes past time, and burnt some of the sauce then dumped in too much salt to compensate. But this portion and Miss Babcock's portion were delicious.

'I fail to see the humor in this situation, CC,' Evan said. 'Daddy will be most disappointed in you.'

'Oh, I'm sure he'll love to hear how you failed to woo the Bitch of Broadway,' CC said. She let out another hearty chuckle. 'You tell daddy where he can stick his money in the future.' She knew Maxwell would be upset with her for losing the money, but she was fairly certain this was the sort they did not want to be attached to. CC hated the idea she could be bought. The whole set-up had been a terrible idea.

'Is there a problem, Miss Babcock?' Niles asked. He had waited a moment to let her get the upper hand. 'I heard shouting.' Hell, the neighbors down below had probably heard the minor ruckus.

'Everything is fine, Niles,' CC said. 'Evan has decided he has other business to attend and will be leaving early.' Evan slammed the glass in his hand on the table.

'I'll see you out, sir,' Niles said. A napkin came flying his way, but he did not even blink. Between Sheffield children pranking nannies, the often sudden appearance of Miss Fine's family, and Babcock's barbs, it took a lot to properly faze Niles.

Evan had stomped toward the door like a petulant child. 'I will see myself out,' he said. He ran a hand through his too-gelled hair then grabbed his coat from the closet. 'I'm going to run you out of this town, Babcock.'

CC, using Niles as something of a shield, said, 'I'll see you try.'

Niles, a bit more forcefully than he intended, opened the door and pushed Evan out. 'Nobody threatens CC Babcock except me,' he said. He gave Evan a good shove down the hall then closed the door and locked it.

'I can't believe you just did that,' CC said. Niles moved toward the table. He gathered Evan's plate and the glasses before moving to the kitchen. He discarded the food and beverage before placing the dishes in the dishwasher. He placed his hands on the counter and leaned down a bit. CC had grabbed her own plate and set it on the counter to finish eating while Niles fumed. She sat on one of the bar stools. 'I should be angry you stood up for me like that, but damn, Niles. Best $37 I ever spend. Now that's dinner and a show!'

'Miss Babcock, why do you agree to go out with these losers? You need a man who respects you for who you are, not your money or your connections.' Niles was ready to argue this was coming out because he was tired and frustrated and had had a very long and trying day, but she knew, somehow, why he had the outburst. These were words she had with herself, too.

The oven timer distracted Niles enough that he did not need a response. He pulled out several small dishes CC did not know she had. After several long minutes during which she finished her dinner, and Niles rinsed and placed the plate in the dishwasher, he upended each dish onto a small dessert plate.

'Chocolate cake?' she asked. He pulled a bowl from the fridge and handed her a spoon. 'Whipped cream?' She dug in and put a large dollop on the cake. It started to melt down the sides seductively. Niles followed suit with his own cake. He then dug the spoon into the dessert. CC watched with fascination as a decadent caramel oozed out.

When she looked up at Niles she knew he had made this dessert specifically for her. Despite everything she had made him do that day, he still gave her a decadent dessert with her favorite sweet items. Almost no one knew, except Niles. She dug into hers finally, letting it cool slightly before letting the creamy caramel, crumbly cake, and cool cream wash over her taste buds. As far as CC Babcock was concerned, this dessert was heaven. Niles moved around the counter to sit on the other stool after pouring each of them a small glass of milk.

CC wanted to devour the dessert but also savor it. Each bite was a battle of her two instincts. Niles was about the only person who could put her on edge like this. 'You like?' he asked. He also seemed at a crossroads.

'Like? Niles,' she stopped because she was about to say a word she would not normally put in a sentence with his name. _Screw it. I have to tell him exactly how I feel after everything that happened today_. 'Niles, I love it.'

He saw how she had looked at him throughout the night. He saw the subtext in her eyes. Her words were not all about dessert. Niles knew what he had not said not ten minutes earlier about her and men, and she knew, too. 'Babcock,' he started wondering how wise the next words would be, but he was so tired in so many ways that he did not care about the consequences. 'I didn't come tonight because of the money.'

A comfortable silence settled over them while they finished their dessert.

Breaking the companionable moment, CC Babcock looked Niles in the eye and said, 'Kiss me.'

Without hesitation, Niles took her face between his hands and began to lean in slowly. He wanted to give her every opportunity to back away. When her eyes dropped to his lips and she leaned in, he gently sealed the moment. His lips pressed lightly to hers. He broke the kiss and put a few inches of distance between them.

'Again,' she said, her eyes closed.

Niles kissed her again.

Then, 'Once more.'

This time she kissed him in return, savoring the taste of chocolate and caramel that mingled with the taste and smell that was distinctly Niles. She broke the kiss and moved out of his grasp.

'I have an early morning,' CC said. 'Can you see yourself out?'

Niles knew she was not running from him. Other men would have wondered at her sudden departure, but he spent many years reading Babcock's moods and whims. She needed time to process. He needed time, too. Their kisses were not the earth shattering sort, nor were they particularly passionate. They were, however, the kind of kisses that could redefine a relationship if both sides agreed.

'I'll finish cleaning then be on my way,' Niles said, already moving around the counter with their dessert dishes.

'Good night, Niles,' Miss Babcock said. Before she retired to her bedroom she threw out, 'Thank you.'

'You're welcome, Miss Babcock. Good night,' Niles said quietly to her retreating form. He finished loading the items into the dishwasher before starting it. Then he washed, dried, and put away any items that had to be handled separately. After wiping down the counter surface and bundling the trash, Niles let himself out. Only as he left did he take a moment to wonder what was on the horizon. He dared not get ahead of where they currently were for long.

Only once she heard the penthouse door close and the lock click into place, for Niles had a spare key, did CC begin to relax and drift off to sleep. She tried not to think about the fact that money could never buy the one thing she most wanted in the world. She was unsure if she earned that just yet, but she was damned sure she was going to try to earn him some way or another.


End file.
